Box construction

ABSTRACT

THE INVENTION PROVIDES A BOX FRAME OR BASE FOR BEDDING EQUIPMENT IN WHICH THERE IS UPPER AND LOWER SPACED APART INDIVIDUAL FRAME SECTIONS CONNECTED BY SUPPORTING MEMBERS ON AT LEAST TWO SIDES OF THE FRAME SECTIONS. SUCH UNITS ARE PROVIDED WITH THE UPPER FRAME HAVING A PORTION FOR PROVIDING A SUPPORTING SURFACE ON WHICH MATTRESS SUPPORTING MEANS MAY BE MOUNTED. THE UNITS MAY BE PROVIDED WITH SUITABLE LEGS CONNECTED TO THE FRAME.

P 20, 7 N. SILVERMAN aox cous'mucnon and Fab. 7. 1969 INVENTOR Nordou SILVERMAN A TTORNFY United States Patent 3,605,141 BOX CONSTRUCTION Nordau Silverman, 89 Glenbrooke, Bollard-des- Ormeaux, Quebec, Canada Filed Feb. 7, 1969, Ser. No. 797,546 Int. Cl. A47c 19/00 US. Cl. 200 7 Claims ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE The invention provides a box frame or base for bedding equipment in which there is upper and lower spaced apart individual frame sections connected by supporting members on at least two sides of the frame sections. Such units are provided with the upper frame having a portion for providing a supporting surface on which mattress sup porting means may be mounted. The units may be provided with suitable legs connected to the frame.

This invention relates to box frames or bases.

More particularly, this invention relates to box frames for supporting mattresses.

Supporting frames for mattresses are well known in the art. There are two types commonly in use today, the first 'being constructed to include a supporting frame mounting a plurality of coil springs in essentially a mattress-like type construction, or alternately, a single frame with Wooden slats or cross members strung across. This latter type of structure consists of pairsof spaced-apart single pieces of wooden frame members connected together to form an elongated rectangular frame, with the mattress supporting members extending between one pair of opposed sides. In such an arrangement, the frame member is mounted on legs and made an integral part of the frame member, to provide the required height. Normally, such frame members extend a total of 12 to 15 inches from a floor, and this is either adapted by providing fairly long legs or by making the frame member long in length. In either case, the structural arrangement is not very stable and often can be swayed or moved.

With this invention, applicant has developed a box frame construction, which has improved stability and is of an overall stronger construction than the type of arrangements discussed above.

According to this invention, there is provided a box frame having a pair of spaced apart upper and lower frame sections, each frame section having two pairs of spaced apart parallel side members, the side members being connected to each other forming a continuous rectangular frame supporting means spacing apart the upper and lower frame sections between at least two sides of the frame sections, supporting surface on the upper frame member for supporting mattress supporting means, and mattress supporting means mounted on the upper frame surface, between one pair of opposed parallel side members of the upper frame.

In a further embodiment, the upper frame comprises two pairs of spaced apart parallel Wooden frame members integrally connected to form a unitary rectangular frame, each member of one pair of frame members having a supporting rim on the interior surface thereof adapted to provide the supporting surface for the mattress supporting means.

Each member of said one pair of side members having the supporting rim preferably comprises an L-shaped support with one arm of the L extending inwardly at right angles to the other arm. The inwardly extending arm is preferably at a lower point than the highest point of the other arm, which is in a vertical relationship thereto.

According to a still further preferred embodiment, the upper and lower frames are made substantially identical, and the supporting frames spacing apart the upper and lower frame sections are preferably included between both pairs of spaced apart side members of the upper and lower frame section, with the exterior surfaces of the upper and lower pairs of spaced apart side members, together with the supporting frame member, forming a substantially continuous smooth side.

The most preferred material from 'which the upper and lower frame sections, and the supporting frame members are made is wood, for economic reasons.

The notches supporting means preferably comprises a plurality of individual slats of wood, supported on a mattress supporting means, and extending between one pair of the opposed parallel side members of the upper frame. It is preferred that the wooden slats be recessed on the upper frame such that their top surface is in substantially the same plane as the top surface of the upper frame member, thereby forming a smooth surface.

If desired, according to an alternate embodiment of this invention, the top surface of the upper frame may be overlayed with a thin sheet of suitable material, such as hard board, to provide a flat continuous usrface over the whole length of the frame.

The mattress supporting means preferably comprises a plurality of individual slats of wood members extending between the mattress supporting means of the upper frame. The number of these slats may vary according to various factors.

The total overall height of the upper and lower frames joined by the supporting means therebetween may vary from about 3 to 10', with 6 to 10" being preferred. Thus, the upper and lower frame sections, which may be identical, may each have a height from about 1 to about 3" and the supporting means therebetween a height from aboutgl to about 5".

The box frame, in its preferred aspect, has a construction in which all of the components are made out of wood. For various reasons, the use of 1 x 3 and 1 x 2" wooden members are preferred.

The upper and lower frame sections can be joined to the supporting means therebetween by various means including the use of adhesives, nails, etc. The box frame of the present invention can be provided with a plurality of legs, which because of the construction of the box frame would be smaller than usual thereby contributing to the stability of the article. The legs can be attached to the lower frame at various points, a preferred arrangement being that the legs are placed in the corners of the apparatus with a further leg on one opposed pair of side. members in the central portion. The leg height may vary but is normally between about 3 to 7".

The corners of the box frame may be rounded according to accepted practices in this art to provide a smooth exterior surface between the respective sides.

The box frame of the present invention possesses a greater degree of stability than the single type frames of the prior art and is easy to construct.

Having thus generally described the invention, reference will now be made to the accompanying drawing, illustrating a preferred embodiment, and in which:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of an assembled box frame according/to this invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of a box frame showing the construction of this invention;

FIG. 3 is a section taken along the line 33 of FIG. 2; and

FIG. 4 is a section taken along the line 44 of FIG. 2.

With reference to the drawing, there is illustrated a wooden box frame according to this invention including upper and lower frame sections indicated by reference numerals A and B of substantially identical construction. Upper frame section A is comprised of two pairs of spaced apart parallel side members and 12, side members 10 being composed of two pieces of overlying boards 10 and 10A with the top board 10 having a width less than board 10A, and forming together an L-shaped arm with supporting rim 24 extending inwardly. The frame members 10 and 10A in the embodiment shown have dimensions of 1 by 1% inches and l by 3 inches. Boards 10 and 10A are joined together by means of nails 14.

The end side members, indicated by reference numeral 12, are likewise composed of two pieces of wood, 12 and 12A, and have a dimension of l by 3 inches and 1 by 1% inches respectively. Thus, board 12 forms an overlap from board 12A. The side members 10 and 12 are connected together at the respective corners and due to the reverse of overlapping between the respective side members, a strong joint is formed. The members are secured by means of nails 14, and after formation, the corners are rounded by cutting as indicated by reference numeral 21.

The lower frame member is of an identical construction and dimension, and in this case includes two boards and 20A, and 22 and 22A making up the respective pairs of side members. In the embodiment shown, board 20 extends beyond board 20A on the top thereof, conversely board 22A projects beyond board 20. The corners of the lower frame section are likewise rounded as indicated by reference numeral 21.

Supporting means comprising pairs of l by 3 inch boards, 16 and 18 are spaced between the upper and lower frame sections A and B, serve to join the frame sections. Boards 16 and 18 are placed so as to form a continuous exterior surface with the exterior surface of the side members of the upper and lower frame section.

A plurality of cross supporting means, supporting members 26 extend between the upper side members 10 and rest on the supporting rim 24. These boards may be secured to the supporting rim by suitable means-e.g. through adhesive or nails.

The total overall height between the top surface of frame section A and the bottom surface of frame section B is preferably between about 6 to 7 inches. By having the upper and lower frame sections according to this invention, there is provided a very stable unit which is structurally stronger than employing a single frame of larger dimensions to accomplish the same purpose.

Legs 32 are attached to the lower frame section if desired.

In the same case, and as shown in FIG. 1, it may be desirable to overlay the top frame section with a thin sheet of at least semi-rigid material, such as hardboard, as indicated by reference numeral 30. This may be secured to the supports 26 by means of nails 34.

The structure of this invention may be provided with a fabric covering if desired, as shown in FIG. 1, such a covering being indicated by reference numeral 36.

The structure of this invention will fit into conventional bed systems. Thus, for example, the box frame construction may be used with a mattress, as in the conventional continental bed types.

The overall dimensions of the box frame may vary considerably, depending on factors normally encountered in this art.

I claim:

1. A box frame comprising a pair of spaced apart upper and lower frame sections, each frame section having two pairs of spaced apart parallel side members, each of said side members comprising two wooden members joined together, the side members being integrally connected to each other forming a continuous border, the lowermost of said side members having a greater width than the other and forming an inwardly extending supporting ledge, supporting members rigidly connecting the side members of the upper and lower frame sections on at least two sides thereof, said upper frame section including said supporting ledge adapted to support mattress supporting means, and mattress supporting means between one pair of op posed side members, said mattress supporting means being mounted on said supporting ledge between one pair of opposed side members of said upper frame being supported by said supporting ledge, said upper member having a height substantially equal to the height of said member supporting means and said upper member form a substantially planar surface.

2. A wooden box frame comprising a pair of substantially identical spaced apart upper and lower frame sections, each frame section having two pairs of spaced apart parallel opposed side members, one of the opposed pairs of side members each being an L-shaped arm, one of the arms of the L member extending inwardly of the frame section to form a supporting surface adapted to support mattress supporting means, and mattress supporting means mounted between said one pair of opposed side members on said supporting surface, the side members of each frame section being integrally connected to each other thereby forming a continuous rectangular frame, supporting members rigidly connecting the side members of the upper and lower frame sections on all sides thereof, said supporting members forming together with the upper and lower frame sections, uninterrupted exterior side surfaces of the box frame, said upper and lower frame sections and said supporting members connecting the side members of the upper and lower frame sections having an overall height of between about 3 to about 10 inches.

3. The article of claim 2, wherein said side members comprise two wooden members joined together, one of the members having a greater width than the other and forming an inwardly extending supporting ledge, said mattress supporting means being mounted on said supporting ledge between one pair of opposed side members of said upper frame.

4. The article of claim 3, wherein said one of said members having the greater width is the lowermost, said upper member having a height substantially equal to the height of said member supporting means whereby said member supporting means and said upper member form a substantially planar surface.

5. The product of claim 2, including a plurality of legs connected to said lower frame section.

6. The article of claim 2, wherein said mattress supporting means comprises a plurality of individual wooden members.

7. The article of claim 2, wherein the upper frame section has a continuous thin sheet overlying it.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,880,427 4/l959 Atwood 5l87X 2,263,050 11/1941 Rein 5l3lUX 894,034 7/1908 Morris 5l86 BOBBY R. GAY, Primary Examiner P. A. ASCHENBRENNER, Assistant Examiner US. Cl. X.R. 5236 

